More than a year after Steve “Crocodile Hunter” Irwin‘s tragic
death at the age of 44, his widow has come forward to reveal that the
Aussie TV personality always had premonitions about dying young.

“He wasn’t morbid about it,” Terri Irwin told an Australian TV program on Monday. “He was open and earnest about it.”

Steve’s
life was taken from him on Sept. 4, 2006, when a stingray’s barb
pierced his heart while filming a segment for an upcoming television
special. He left behind Terri and their two children, 3-year-old Robert
and 9-year-old Bindi, who has since gone on to become a star in her own
right.

“He wanted to be here for the kids, and yet he always had
that feeling something was going to happen early on,” Terri said. “He
was such a frightening force of nature here on earth. I’m sure he’s out
on his way to sink some Japanese whaling ships right now.”